A type of mecha used in the BattleTech universe, measuring between twenty and one hundred tons in weight and comparable in height to a modern main battle tank's length, though this can be more. They mount a wide variety of missile, ballistic, and energy weapons. For example, the Timberwolf (Inner Sphere reporting name Mad Cat), perhaps one of the most iconic 'Mechs of the series, most commonly mounts two LRM-20 missile racks on its shoulders, an ER (extended range) medium laser and large laser on each arm, with a small pulse laser in the left torso, and two .50-caliber machine guns flanking the jutting cockpit.
BattleMechs fall into five distinct categories: Hunter-Killer 'Mechs (small, with a heavy weapon, such as a Gauss cannon or heavy energy weapon), Main Battle 'Mechs (~75 tons, with a well-balanced armour scheme and a variety of weapons covering many ranges), Support 'Mechs (large, generally mounting jump jets and long-range, powerful weapons), Recon/Strike 'Mechs (fast, light, and weakly-armed), and Assault 'Mechs. The last are the behemoths of the BT universe, slow and ponderous, heavily-armed and armoured, and able to wade into well-defended positions and come out alive. The Assault 'Mechs also usually form companies which are the basis of a battalion's hitting power, leading assaults against a specific target.
The BattleMech is powered by a fusion engine (it is unclear what fuel mix it uses), coming in standard, light, extra-light, extra-extra-light, large, large extra-light, large extra-extra-light, and compact. Additionally, the Clan-base technology has a similar range of engines, but are different. The lighter engines take up more criticals in the torso area, leaving them open to more damage than a normal engine, and allowing less ammunition and/or weaponry to be carried. Lighter engines are only good for reconnaissance and deep-strike 'Mechs, despite the apparent obsession with mounting them on heavier MBMs and assault 'Mechs. Compact engines take up less space than normal engines, but weigh slightly more.
Additionally, there are four types of gyros a 'Mech can mount: standard, compact, heavy-duty, and extra-light. XL gyros take up more space, but are lighter, while compact gyros take up less space, but are heavier. It is unclear to the author what a "heavy-duty" gyro is.
There are also five types of cockpits which can be mounted in a 'Mech: standard, command console, torso-mounted, and enhanced-imaging. Command consoles may only be mounted on >75-ton 'Mechs, and provide a link to the lance. Torso-mounted cockpits are just that--regular cockpits mounted in the chest of a 'Mech. Enhanced-imaging cockpits provide a three-dimensional view of the battlefield, allowing a MechWarrior to explore beyond his current field of vision. Finally, there are a plethora of targetting systems that may be mounted, each with its own specific job (or generalist, in the case of standard systems).
BattleMechs mount ten heat sinks (which dissipate heat generated by firing weapons) in the engine, giving a free -10 heat to the 'Mech, whatever type it is. More may be mounted, at the expense of tonnage and space. There are five types of sinks: single (-1 heat each), double (-2 heat each, with no penalty), compact (same as double, and with less space), laser, and Clan double. Laser heat sinks are a rather implausible invention, as they excite heat into visible light, and shoot it out someplace on the 'Mech.
'Mechs come in three different general types: the BattleMech, the OmniMech, and the UtilityMech. OmniMechs have the ability to swap out different weapons on a battlefield, simplifying transportation and giving certain 'Mechs a huge range of capabilites. UtilityMechs are usually unarmed, and specialized for non-combat actions, or recovery ops. There is also another distinction in BattleMechs: some stand on four legs (quadruped), while others stand on two (biped). The latter is by far the more common, despite the greater stability provided by having a greater weight distrubtion with four legs. There were briefly Land-Air 'Mechs, which were introduced by WizKids as a tack-on of some Japanese animes where transforming mecha were common. These were short-lived.
BattleMechs are piloted by special people called MechWarriors. These highly-trained soldiers are anagalous to medeival knights, in that they often find themselves fighting alone, and enjoy a higher level of comfort when piloting a BattleMech--such as a couple litres of water, rations, and other minor things that an infantryman will often lack. The MechWarrior sits on a chair in a small cockpit, referred to as the command couch. A neurohelmet connects his brain with the 'Mech's systems, providing locomotion, balance, reactionary movement, etcetera. It is assumed this is facilitated through the use of electrodes attached to the temples and other areas of the head (some depictions of MechWarriors have hair; it is unclear why this would be so).
Movement for BattleMechs is facilitated through the use of mechanical muscles, called myomers. These function exactly like organic muscles, relying on electrical impulses to contract and expand. Technicians are known for their ability to perform operations resembling surgery on BattleMechs, in which they will extract functioning myomers from a BattleMech or stockpile, and install it in the place of a torn or otherwise malfunctioning myomer.
BattleMechs fall into five distinct categories: Hunter-Killer 'Mechs (small, with a heavy weapon, such as a Gauss cannon or heavy energy weapon), Main Battle 'Mechs (~75 tons, with a well-balanced armour scheme and a variety of weapons covering many ranges), Support 'Mechs (large, generally mounting jump jets and long-range, powerful weapons), Recon/Strike 'Mechs (fast, light, and weakly-armed), and Assault 'Mechs. The last are the behemoths of the BT universe, slow and ponderous, heavily-armed and armoured, and able to wade into well-defended positions and come out alive. The Assault 'Mechs also usually form companies which are the basis of a battalion's hitting power, leading assaults against a specific target.
The BattleMech is powered by a fusion engine (it is unclear what fuel mix it uses), coming in standard, light, extra-light, extra-extra-light, large, large extra-light, large extra-extra-light, and compact. Additionally, the Clan-base technology has a similar range of engines, but are different. The lighter engines take up more criticals in the torso area, leaving them open to more damage than a normal engine, and allowing less ammunition and/or weaponry to be carried. Lighter engines are only good for reconnaissance and deep-strike 'Mechs, despite the apparent obsession with mounting them on heavier MBMs and assault 'Mechs. Compact engines take up less space than normal engines, but weigh slightly more.
Additionally, there are four types of gyros a 'Mech can mount: standard, compact, heavy-duty, and extra-light. XL gyros take up more space, but are lighter, while compact gyros take up less space, but are heavier. It is unclear to the author what a "heavy-duty" gyro is.
There are also five types of cockpits which can be mounted in a 'Mech: standard, command console, torso-mounted, and enhanced-imaging. Command consoles may only be mounted on >75-ton 'Mechs, and provide a link to the lance. Torso-mounted cockpits are just that--regular cockpits mounted in the chest of a 'Mech. Enhanced-imaging cockpits provide a three-dimensional view of the battlefield, allowing a MechWarrior to explore beyond his current field of vision. Finally, there are a plethora of targetting systems that may be mounted, each with its own specific job (or generalist, in the case of standard systems).
BattleMechs mount ten heat sinks (which dissipate heat generated by firing weapons) in the engine, giving a free -10 heat to the 'Mech, whatever type it is. More may be mounted, at the expense of tonnage and space. There are five types of sinks: single (-1 heat each), double (-2 heat each, with no penalty), compact (same as double, and with less space), laser, and Clan double. Laser heat sinks are a rather implausible invention, as they excite heat into visible light, and shoot it out someplace on the 'Mech.
'Mechs come in three different general types: the BattleMech, the OmniMech, and the UtilityMech. OmniMechs have the ability to swap out different weapons on a battlefield, simplifying transportation and giving certain 'Mechs a huge range of capabilites. UtilityMechs are usually unarmed, and specialized for non-combat actions, or recovery ops. There is also another distinction in BattleMechs: some stand on four legs (quadruped), while others stand on two (biped). The latter is by far the more common, despite the greater stability provided by having a greater weight distrubtion with four legs. There were briefly Land-Air 'Mechs, which were introduced by WizKids as a tack-on of some Japanese animes where transforming mecha were common. These were short-lived.
BattleMechs are piloted by special people called MechWarriors. These highly-trained soldiers are anagalous to medeival knights, in that they often find themselves fighting alone, and enjoy a higher level of comfort when piloting a BattleMech--such as a couple litres of water, rations, and other minor things that an infantryman will often lack. The MechWarrior sits on a chair in a small cockpit, referred to as the command couch. A neurohelmet connects his brain with the 'Mech's systems, providing locomotion, balance, reactionary movement, etcetera. It is assumed this is facilitated through the use of electrodes attached to the temples and other areas of the head (some depictions of MechWarriors have hair; it is unclear why this would be so).
Movement for BattleMechs is facilitated through the use of mechanical muscles, called myomers. These function exactly like organic muscles, relying on electrical impulses to contract and expand. Technicians are known for their ability to perform operations resembling surgery on BattleMechs, in which they will extract functioning myomers from a BattleMech or stockpile, and install it in the place of a torn or otherwise malfunctioning myomer.
by Blast June 27, 2006
Get the BattleMech mug.A game that takes place in the 31st century. Ranges from board/miniature game to computer and video games. Battletech in its purest form is basically battlemech vs. battlemech.
Also known as mechwarrior.
Also known as mechwarrior.
by Star Colonel Snarrballz February 11, 2004
Get the battletech mug.Related Words
A game that was America's answer to the "giant mecha" craze in Japan. In it's original incarnation, it was a table top game played using painted pewter miniatures, dice, and pencil and paper. MechWarrior, originally, was the Role Playing Game in the same setting. The game and setting were produced by the FASA gaming company, which was later bought out by Microsoft so that they could license the setting for it's "MechWarrior" and "MechCommander" line of computer games. Microsoft promptly let the table top version die as they were unwilling to support anything that didn't involve a computer. The setting has since been licensed to WizKids Games who promptly turned it into a “Collectable/Tradable clicky figure” hobby game.
by Smitty February 13, 2004
Get the battletech mug.by Jpl Gaymes March 23, 2017
Get the Bottlenecking mug.Rooster from a gladiator background. Battlecock=Gamecock=Fighting rooster. A bird that has intense aggression, not trained to kill, just born in. All roosters will fight, BUT a Battle/Gamecock won't stop till his enemy has fallen and more often than not he will still pumble the already expired cock till he himself dies from exhaustion. Owners of Battle/Gamecocks typically take insanely great care of them "Mega huge pins, best food $ can buy, fresh water 3 times daily." Normally will end up fighting no more than 3 times and after that assuming he lives he will live his live in a monster pin with plenty of tail to pound, unlike egg hens which live in disgusting, disease-ridden warehouses in 4x4 battery pens with 15 other hens which ends up being incredibly cramped to the point of suffocation by trampling. If one was lucky enough to live to the age of 2 "if you call living in what makes Alcatraz look like paradise, lucky" you are then pulled by extreme force from your cage often getting wings/legs broken during this process and shipped to the slaughter house and so called humanely killed but in fact are just slammed into the ground until death comes.
'dude1' hey dude!, how have you been? 'dude2" ive been good but ive recently gotin into Battlecocks. 'dude1' you mean fighting roosters? dude your a cruel basterd! 'dude2' atleast they get ther shot at life. how many farm animals get to live til the actually die? most are killed in there pime for meat you jackass!
by The Legendary Battlecock November 23, 2011
Get the Battlecock mug.The act of a superior promoting a subordinate by having inappropriate relations with them and by virtue thereof, giving the subordinate the rank equal to or one higher than the superior. Normally seen in the military.
"Hey man, have you noticed that Private Doe has been acting like her shit doesn't stink lately? - Yeah. Rumor has it that the boss gave her a battlefuck promotion."
by USArmyK9 April 14, 2014
Get the Battlefuck promotion mug.by Exodus 4:10 September 14, 2014
Get the Bottleneck mug.